Night 3 of a 3-night run with The String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks always has a very special laid-back and family friendly vibe. Being a Sunday, the shows start an hour early and everyone is well relaxed and ready for a fun couple of sets to close out the weekend. As a photographer, I always enjoy those Sundays, as the light is just right to do a bunch of running around saying hello to friends and capturing images of all the bright and shiny fans!
Often the night tends to have more of a “Roots Run Deep” bluegrass vibe to the show, and since the Boys were celebrating 30 years this year, they decided to really bring that feeling with a very special line-up of friends to join them. Officially entitled The Nashville Incident, the night was billed with bluegrass all-stars Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Sierra Hull!
The night started out fairly tame with Keith opening the first set with Sweet Spot followed by a deep and jammy Eye Know Why. The third song was another of the newest batch of tunes debuted this year, Talkin’ About Tonight, followed by the mouldy gouda classic, Smile, which got everyone together for the ride into bluegrass heaven.
All three guests then joined the band, and the Nashville Incident finally kicked into high gear with I Feel the Blues Moving In (Del McCoury). Keith then led everyone into a fun sandwich with Take the Money and Run (Steve Miller) into a ripping Big Mon by Sam Bush, then back into Take the Money and Run. Next up was a long-time band favorite, Can’t Stop Now (New Grass Revival), and a very fun Something You’ve Got Baby (Fats Domino). The crew then dug into some bluegrass roots with John Hartfords I’m Still Here, followed by Duke and Cookie (Strength In Numbers), and the set was brought to a rousing climax with the ever-popular Reach (New Grass Revival)!
After a relaxing setbreak, the boys came back out joined by Jerry Douglas and launched into a deep (and dobro slidey) classic, Rivertrance! I was personally a little surprised Sam hadn’t joined as well, as he has always seems to greatly enjoy sitting in for the space-grassy jam. Mid-way through the song as I was deep in the lens, I got a tap on the shoulder from a friend and fellow photographer and hearing the word “DRONES!”, immediately cleared the pit for a dash up into the stands for a view of another spectacular show by Nova Sky Stories.
Once the drone show wrapped up it was back to the pit for the get-down finish of Rivertrance and into another of the newer tunes, Enjoy the Ride, that drifted into a beautiful (and very fitting after a drone light show) Shine!
The band was once again joined by the Nashville crew, and Sierra threw down an amazing Poison followed by another band favorite and jazz standard, Birdland (Weather Report Suite) driving its way into a rowdy Wheel Hoss then back into Birdland. The collaboration then wrapped up for a bit with a fun Revival (New Grass Revival).
Kyle proceeded to take over with the very psychedelic Trip the Light Fantastic, which led its way to Billy stepping in with another delve into the classics with a trip down south to visit Alice in Santa Fe with Jellyfish. The jam out of Jellyfish was led by Kang as he just wanted everyone to know just how Beautiful we were! The encore found us back in Nashville as Sam, Jerry and Sierra came back out to help wrap up the evening with SCI’s own Colorado Bluebird Skies.
As the saying goes, NEVER miss a Sunday show, and the boys really brought that one home as they finished out an amazing 3 night run at the happiest place on earth in true Colo-Rowdy style to celebrate an amazing 30 year journey! Thank you, Boys, and here’s to 30 more!!
Set One:
Sweet Spot, Eye Know Why, Talkin’ About Tonight, Smile, I Feel The Blues Moving In, Take The Money And Run > Big Mon > Take The Money And Run, Can’t Stop Now, Something You Got Baby, I’m Still Here, Duke And Cookie, Reach
Set Two:
Rivertrance, Enjoy The Ride, Shine, Poison, Birdland > Wheel Hoss > Birdland, Revival, Trip The Light Fantastic, Jellyfish > Beautiful
Encore:
Colorado Bluebird Sky
